Teacher placed on leave for stomping on American flag in classroom

This teacher should be fired. Not so much for stomping on the American flag and saying that it was just a "piece of cloth" and didn't "mean anything." But because he was monumentally stupid enough to perform this nefarious deed in South Carolina and not someplace like New York City where he would have been praised for his bravery.

Scott Compton, an English teacher at Chapin High School in Chapin, S.C., reprised the unpatriotic deed in three classes over the course of one day, reports local NBC affiliate WIS.

One parent, Michael Copeland, said he heard his teenage daughter discussing the incident and asked her to tell him the whole story.

"He drew a couple of symbols, like one of them was a cross, and he said, 'What does this represent,' and everybody said, 'Christianity,'" Copeland explained to WIS.

"Then he proceeds to take down the American flag, and said, 'This is a symbol, but it's only a piece of cloth. It doesn't mean anything,' and then he throws it down on the floor and then stomps on it, repeatedly," Copeland continued.

"I asked what was he trying to get, the point across? And she said, 'I don't know,' and he said, his explanation was there would be no consequences, it's just a piece of cloth that doesn't mean anything."

Perhaps ironically, however, Compton would soon face consequences.

Mark Bounds, a spokesperson for the school district, told WIS that the district frequently cautions teachers to avoid introducing personal opinions in the classroom.

"Our superintendent served in the military, I served in the military for 20 years, our flag is a symbol of our freedom, and so many people have fought and died for that liberty, and so we take this action very seriously," Bounds added.

According to FITSNews, a South Carolina-based conservative news and entertain website, people in the Chapin High community describe Compton a "good teacher" who is "very liberal" and "wears it on his sleeve in the classroom."

People are entitled to their opinion. If he wants to stomp on the flag outside of the classroom, his right of free speech is protected by the Constitution. But to stand in front of a bunch of impressionable children and declare that the US flag to be devoid of meaning - when for hundreds of millions it, in fact, holds great meaning - is not only unpatriotic but simply wrong. He was teaching opinion - not fact. And for that alone he should be cashiered.

This teacher should be fired. Not so much for stomping on the American flag and saying that it was just a "piece of cloth" and didn't "mean anything." But because he was monumentally stupid enough to perform this nefarious deed in South Carolina and not someplace like New York City where he would have been praised for his bravery.

Scott Compton, an English teacher at Chapin High School in Chapin, S.C., reprised the unpatriotic deed in three classes over the course of one day, reports local NBC affiliate WIS.

One parent, Michael Copeland, said he heard his teenage daughter discussing the incident and asked her to tell him the whole story.

"He drew a couple of symbols, like one of them was a cross, and he said, 'What does this represent,' and everybody said, 'Christianity,'" Copeland explained to WIS.

"Then he proceeds to take down the American flag, and said, 'This is a symbol, but it's only a piece of cloth. It doesn't mean anything,' and then he throws it down on the floor and then stomps on it, repeatedly," Copeland continued.

"I asked what was he trying to get, the point across? And she said, 'I don't know,' and he said, his explanation was there would be no consequences, it's just a piece of cloth that doesn't mean anything."

Perhaps ironically, however, Compton would soon face consequences.

Mark Bounds, a spokesperson for the school district, told WIS that the district frequently cautions teachers to avoid introducing personal opinions in the classroom.

"Our superintendent served in the military, I served in the military for 20 years, our flag is a symbol of our freedom, and so many people have fought and died for that liberty, and so we take this action very seriously," Bounds added.

According to FITSNews, a South Carolina-based conservative news and entertain website, people in the Chapin High community describe Compton a "good teacher" who is "very liberal" and "wears it on his sleeve in the classroom."

People are entitled to their opinion. If he wants to stomp on the flag outside of the classroom, his right of free speech is protected by the Constitution. But to stand in front of a bunch of impressionable children and declare that the US flag to be devoid of meaning - when for hundreds of millions it, in fact, holds great meaning - is not only unpatriotic but simply wrong. He was teaching opinion - not fact. And for that alone he should be cashiered.